Graeme Young: Who will be the winner of the Floyd Mayweather September sweepstakes?

GRAEME looks at the most likely potential opponents for boxing's pound for pound best fighter in the world.

Floyd Mayweather celebrates after defeating Marcos Maidana by majority decision in their WBC/WBA welterweight unification fight in May

FOR the past 16 years, Floyd Mayweather has been a world champion in five different weight classes and has never tasted defeat.

As his all-time great career heads in to its honeymoon period, the world’s highest earning sportsman is looking for opponents to fill out his three remaining dates (September 14, May 15, September 15) on his bumper Pay Per View deal with Showtime Sports.

Boxing’s Cold War – between Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions and Box Arum’s Top Rank – has limited Mayweather’s opponents for the last few years, with the American working exclusively with Golden Boy.

The waters have now muddied. Mayweather dealt exclusively with the company’s CEO Richard Schaefer who has now departed.

It is expected the number one pound for pound fighter in the world will continue to work with Schaefer in some capacity and match-up with fighters signed up to the all-powerful boxing manager Al Haymon.

Here we look at some of the best fights out there for Mayweather. Fighters that haven’t been considered are those under contract with Top Rank, such as Manny Pacquiao, Tim Bradley and Juan Manuel Marquez.

Here are six potential opponents for Mayweather’s September 13th clash as every fighter dreams of the huge payday that a superfight brings.

Marcos Maidana:

The Maidana rematch seems Money’s most likely next opponent for his September tussle following their keenly contested fight in May.

In May, the durable Argentinian gave Floyd arguably his toughest contest of the year since his first fight against Jose Luis Castillo in April 2002.

Boxing experts and fans alike were in agreement that the swarming Maidana caused the 37-year-old plenty of problems throughout the fight and it took all of the future hall of famer’s mercurial talents to grind out a majority decision.

Maidana has improved immeasurably since teaming up with revered trainer Robert Garcia. The problem with first contest was as well as the Argentine fought he struggled to land cleanly on the night and would a second fight produce a different outcome?

This fight looks most likely, although talk of the rematch has recently cooled.

Amir Khan:

The fight which has been mooted for a long time.

When Khan was dazzling under the stewardship of Freddie Roach in the light welterweight division, the potential fight with Mayweather seemed a logical step in the Bolton fighter’s career.

Things have changed since those heady days. Khan suffered consecutive defeats following a close points loss to Lamont Peterson and a harrowing stoppage against Danny Garcia in July 2012.

Since then Khan has teamed up with Virgil Hunter and has been slowly rebuilding his career with victories over Carlos Molina, Julio Diaz and an impressive showing against Luis Collazo on the Mayweather/Maidana undercard.

The biggest obstacle facing Khan for the September date is his religious commitments. He will be coming off a fasting period for Ramadan and will most likely not be ready for the proposed date.

It is highly unlikely than the British fighter will alter his plans and similarly Mayweather his date for fighting, so these two are more likely to lock horns next May.

Danny Garcia:

Danny Garcia’s career trajectory has been on the up for the last couple of years.

The Philadelphia fighter was riding the crest of a wave following his huge win against big-hitter Lucas Matthysse in September 2013.

That coming out party on the biggest of stages had followed on from stunning KO victories against Erik Morales and Amir Khan to cement his status as the world’s standout 140lb-er.

The brakes came off slightly earlier this year when he barely scraped past Mauricio Herrera in Puerto Rico in a fight many ringside observers thought he lost.

Rumours suggest he could have one final fight at light welterweight against longtime champion Lamont Peterson before stepping up to welterweight. If that is the case then it would put a fight against Mayweather back.

Both Garcia and Mayweather are promoted by the influential Al Haymon, this seems like a logical matchup at some point this year.

Keith Thurman:

The wildcard on this list. ‘One Time’ is probably the least well known fighter to casual observers out of all the names mentioned here, although not for long.

Thurman has had one of the best boxing apprenticeships in recent memory.

Victories against Carlos Quintana, Jesus Soto Karass, Jan Zaveck and Julio Diaz have given this young, talented Floridian the perfect platform to hone his skills.

Thurman is a brutal puncher. He has the ability to knock you out early, and can also wear you down with patient boxing ability and waiting for his opportunities.

Thurman’s time may not come in September but if Mayweather continues his illustrious career then you can bet that this talented fighter will be in the mix.

REUTERS/Brendan McDermid

Miguel Cotto (L) was in imperious form when he destroyed Sergio Martinez to become the lineal Middleweight champion of the world earlier this month

Miguel Cotto:

Miguel Cotto and Floyd Mayweather served up one of the most exciting prize fights in recent memory.

Cotto was outgunned in an exciting light middleweight contest in May 2012 but set the blueprint that Maidana followed.

After the loss to Mayweather, the Puerto Rican suffered yet another defeat to the decent but not elite Austin Trout in December 2012.

One of the sport’s most recognisable fighter’s career looked in tatters at the top level following that loss, but how wrong we were.

Cotto teamed up with the aforementioned Roach and has enjoyed a career renaissance since then.

A win over Delvin Rodriguez was followed up with a boxing masterclass when he dethroned middleweight champion Sergio Martinez earlier this month.

Mayweather v Cotto has added intrigue as if the fight takes place it would allow Mayweather the chance to win a title in a sixth weight class. Don’t rule this one out.

Winner of Canelo Alvarez/Erislandy Lara:

This fight between the world’s two best light middleweights is the most eagerly awaited fight left on the first half of the 2014 boxing schedule.

The Mexican and Cuban will square off in less than a month in Las Vegas and if Canelo is victorious it will be add even more aura to the Mayweather legacy.

Alvarez was soundly beaten by Mayweather last September, but many believe the young Mexican is nowhere near his peak.

If he produces a definitive performance against the extremely polished Cuban slickster, would that be enough to get the public interested in a rematch? Probably not..

If Lara was victorious, it would propel him in to the Mayweather discussion, although risk versus reward at this stage for Floyd may not be the most appealing.